The invention relates to locking nails.
Marrow nails and special locking nails are known aids for osteosynthesis. They are introduced into the marrow space of a damaged bone in order mechanically to bridge the bone lesion. With locking nails, locking screws (which are mounted transversely through the bone and through the locking nail) serve to secure the connection between the bone and locking nail against displacement in the direction of the bone axis and against rotation about the bone axis.
Until now, with usual locking nails, locking screws are placed in discrete openings and are arranged essentially radially in the locking nail. On the proximal thigh, for example, the screws are arranged also at an angle inclined to the shank axis. But in each case with respect to the length of the shank as well as with respect to the angle to the shank, they are not adjustably arranged.
An object of this invention is a locking nail in which the position or the angle of the opening in the locking screw can be changed and the locking screw can be adjustably located within the opening.
A further object is to be able to adjust the openings on locking nails for the locking screws according to position and angle, in order to adapt them to the individual situation in different patients, without having to prepare an assortment of complicated and expensively manufactured locking nails with differing arrangements of the openings for the locking screws.
These and other objects are achieved by the locking nail of the present invention.